Anwar Maqsood
Anwar Maqsood Hameedi is a Pakistani scriptwriter, television presenter, satirist, humorist, painter and infrequent actor. He is well known for his drama write-ups for PTV in the late 1970s and 1980s.
Early life and family
Anwar Maqsood was born on 7 September 1939 in Hyderabad State. He studied at the Gulbarga Trust School in Aurangabad. His large family migrated to Karachi in September 1948, after the creation of Pakistan in 1947. His maternal grandfather was a commissioner and a writer, a disciple of Urdu poet Daagh Dehlvi, and the only items the family took with them when moving to Karachi was his collection of 20,000 books. His childhood years were spent in PIB Colony, Karachi with his siblings and family.Maqsood belongs to a prominent family of Pakistan and some of his siblings are well known in their own right; his sister, Fatima Surayya Bajia was a well-known writer in Pakistan and South Asia whose marriage ended early in divorce. She then chose to play a key role in the upbringing of her nine young brothers and sisters and became a maternal figure to them. Another sister Zehra Nigah, is a relatively well-known poet. One of his brothers, Ahmed Maqsood, is a former Chief Secretary Sindh; and his sister Zubaida Tariq was a cooking expert and chef. His wife, Imrana Maqsood, is a known novelist and his son, Bilal Maqsood is a rock artist, lead guitarist and vocalist of former rock band Strings. He has one daughter. A book on the life and work of Anwar Maqsood titled Uljhey Suljhey Anwar was written by his wife, Imrana Maqsood.
Anwar Maqsood received his education in Pakistan. He completed his matriculation from St. Patrick's High School, Karachi. He then went on to study at the Sindh [Muslim Law College|Sindh Muslim Government Law College], also in Karachi. He graduated with a degree in Law and began his career as a lawyer. However, he soon realized that his true passion was in the field of painting, creative writing and entertainment, and he transitioned into the field of scriptwriting, television hosting, and comedy. Following his graduation, he was for some time the editor of the magazine Hurriyat but had to leave as a result of an editorial critical of General Zia-ul-Haq.
Career
Painting
Before turning to writing/satire, Anwar Maqsood was a painter, grabbing the attention of senior artists such as Sadequain and Shakir Ali, but later concentrated on writing following the footsteps of his sisters. His paintings have been exhibited.Music
Anwar Maqsood’s first job was with EMI Pakistan, and he met artists such as Ghulam Farid Sabri and Fareeda Khanum. He has his own library of classical music containing hundreds of hours of recordings.He also wrote lyrics for the band Strings.
Television
Anwar Maqsood has been associated for many years with PTV where he served as a television presenter for a variety of television programs including Studio Dhai and then Studio Ponay Teen along with Show Sha and various other shows''.''Works
Maqsood is often regarded as one of the leading Pakistani satirists/writers as well as highly respected in social and showbiz industry of Pakistan. Anwar Maqsood is often given credit for encouraging talented television actors like Bushra Ansari and Moin Akhter. He wrote various successful plays for the television industry, including:He also wrote the lyrics of Nestlé Nido Young Stars theme, "Meri Pyari Ammi Jaan".
Awards
- Pride of Performance Award by the Government of Pakistan in 1994
- Hilal-e-Imtiaz Award by the President of Pakistan in 2013
- PTV Superstar award at PTV Awards in 2000
- Lifetime Achievement Honour at 4th Pakistan Media Awards
- Lifetime Achievement Award at the 3rd Hum Awards